Redskins Recon 2017: Week 8 vs. Dallas

Keep your friends close. And your enemies closer.

It can’t be denied – 6 games into the 2017 season for our beloved Burgundy and Gold, and their backs are against the wall already. This 2017 Redskins squad has shown toughness, a greater commitment to the run game, and a vastly improved defense. But the loss of Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon has proven more impactful than this author predicted, and that combined with underwhelming performances by Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder, and Terrelle Pryor have weakened the Redskins passing attack considerably.

Add in a record rash of injuries all over the place on defense, and now a decimated offensive line and the Redskins are in trouble.

Sunday’s game, if the Redskins are to be any kind of a factor from here on out, really is a must win. Philly is surging. Sure – Dallas is also 3-3, but they’ve at least won a division contest and have 2 more shots at the Eagles.

Given all that, one would expect Cowboys fans, coming off an annihilation of the 49ers, to be supremely confident.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case…

Originally Posted by Dallas7272

Any news on Josh Norman? Big diff if he plays

Originally Posted by hadenough

I remember a few years ago same scenario. Skins were so beat up and missing so many players and they came out and beat the crap out of Romo and the Cowboys. It was like 30- 7

Originally Posted by hadenough

Just read where the Redskins have 17 players on the injury report. I hope Dallas doesnt think this game is gonna be a gimme!! Be just like Garretts team to go into Fed Ex field and be sluggish and unprepared fighting for thier lives against a inferior opponent.
There have been just too many times we have seen this happen! Remember when Colt McCoy beat Dallas and the back up for GB came in and hung 36 points on Dallas. The more injuries we hear Skins have the more Im looking at this game as a trap game. Garrett better be ready!!! They should watch film all week on all the trap the games they have fallen for under Garretts time!

Is it just me, or has this guy really had enough?

Originally Posted by hadenough

That is what worries me every time I watch this team play. What is Garrett going to do to lose this game.

With heavy rains in the forecast for Sunday, many Dallas fans felt that could be a factor in giving the Redskins an edge.

Originally Posted by TexasStadium33

Washington will win this going away.

Supposed to rain. Wet weather. Muggy field. These type of conditions favor the tougher team, and Washington is tougher than we are.

30-17 Skins.

Originally Posted by GhostofPelluer

Crazy things happen in division games. Crazy things happen with crazy weather. Logic can often go out the window. I'm a little worried.

For many hysterical NFL fans, every week’s game is ‘must win’ …

Originally Posted by BoysHeelsEers

If Dallas doesn't win going away the season is over. This needs to be a 34-17 game if we are who we think we are.

My heart sinks at the thought of Jaylon trying to cover Thompson. I hope Marinelli's got something devised for this.

Originally Posted by cmd34

I'm dumb, so Cowboys win.

No argument here cmd34

Originally Posted by Scot

We lose the most accurate kicker in NFL history and hire a scrub who cannot keep a job. Nothing to see here, move along, no big deal. It’s not like our offense is firing on all cylinders and can score touchdowns at will. The missed field goals/extra points that the scrub will undoubtedly miss will come back to bite us and likely cost us a game.

Several Dallas fans bemoaned the fact that our scrub retread kicker is better than their scrub retread kicker. Fans of both teams likely hoping Sunday’s outcome doesn’t come down to their scrub retread kicker…

It pains me greatly to admit it, but there are a lot of smart, realistic, football-savvy Cowboys fans out there…

Originally Posted by Cowboy Eric

BEST RIVALRY.

Cowboys gotta keep doing what they do best...
1.run the ball
2.win the turnover battle.
3.control the line of scrimmage...protect Dak and on defense...put cousins in the dirt.

If Dallas runs the ball...they win.
Cowboys 35
redskins 31

Originally Posted by Johnny23

We have to come out aggressive and feed Zeke. They're going to be without Jonathan Allen the kid was having a stellar rookie season before he got hurt against the run and pass. We need to attack them on the ground.

Originally Posted by eightYeight

I live in DC and on the radio, Gruden says the skins cant practice today or even tomorrow because they don't have enough healthy bodies. That's comical. If Dallas doesn't smell blood in the water and dismantle this team on Sunday, we're not making the playoffs.

Originally Posted by Grandpaw_G_Bundy

Redskins and Cowboys games are always unpredictable. No matter what the record is, they are always good games.

Originally Posted by Jipper

No matter what happens in game 7 the season is not over for a team sitting at 3-3, and viewing a game as a must win "going away" or the season is over just is a sad state to be in as a fan....I pity those of you that feel that way bc anything less than winning the super bowl must be failure in your eyes...that's a crappy way to watch football.

Remember this isn't college....teams can have 6 losses and still win their division or get in the playoffs as a wildcard. Yes we have some tough teams to play but nothing is done in week 8 right now.....except the browns and giants...they are toast

Originally Posted by quickcc

Skins are always a tough game for us. Even if sometimes the Skins might not be in playoff contention and not having one of their better seasons. It's the Cowboys they really gear up for .. and its' a division game. Surprisingly the Skins still ranked high in terms of offense output, but their defense seems to be failing them as of late. And their secondary has been struggling. I'd like to get a great scoring jump lead on the Skins early and force " You like dat " Cousins to hail back and throw every down with a fierce pass rush especially since their WR power isn't what it used to be when Desean Jackson and P. Garcon was there. Pryor and Josh Dotson are struggling so it's an obvious drop off. Their OL is limping into this game. It's Chris Thompson, Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis i'm most concerned about.

Of course, drowning out more reasonable Dallas fans, you can always count on the absurdly optimistic or moronic asshats…

Originally Posted by Relayer

Dez hates the Skins. He'll be motivated even without Norman playing. I predict double digit receptions and multi TD's.

Originally Posted by gmoney112

If we win, the seasons over. For everyone else.

Originally Posted by WizardHawk

Skins run D is really good, thanks in part to former Cowboy Terrell McClain.

Originally Posted by DaBoys

Originally Posted by ObamaBeenGauzy

Cousins lost to Matt Cassell and got swept last season. His lone win against Dallas was a week 17 game in 2015. Don't think it really matters for Sunday but I don't think he's really played well against Dallas.

Which elicited this reply from another Dallas fan…

Originally Posted by hard_pass

The last game we played he hung 449 YDS/3TDs/41-53(77%) on our defense.

It’s a tough week to pick the Redskins to prevail. Sure, all NFL teams have injuries. But the Redskins are beaten up beyond belief. Division games are tough enough when the roster is relatively healthy. The odds stacked against the good guys in this one are formidable.

But one thing I’ve learned about Jay Gruden-lead teams (and a fact that the more cynical and snarky among us might do well to remember) is that they almost always compete, and frequently perform best with their backs to the wall when no one predicts a win is possible.